Washer attachment for ice crushers



April 3, 1952 H. A. LEHMAN ETAL WASHER ATTACHMENT FOR ICE CRUSHERS 2SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Oct. 1, 1948 Inveniorm Harry A. Lehman James A.Bale/nan Will/am Bare/wan April 8, 1952 v H. A. LEHMA N ET-AL 2,592,044

WASHER ATTACHMENT FOR ICE} CRUSHERS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 4% Fig. 2.

Filed 001:. l, 1948 Fig. 3.

66 I 238 44 50 23 4 42 Fig. 4.

35 26 v Inventom' 1 Harry A. Lehman I James A. Bafeman Patented Apr. 8,1952 I W 2,592,044 WASHER. ATTACHMENT'FORICE CRUSHERS Harry A. Lehman,James A.,Bateman, and

William W. Bateman, Mineral Wells, Tex.

Application October 1, 1948', Serial No. 52,292

3 claims.

This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in ice crushingmachines and the primary object of the present invention is to provide awasher attachment for ice crushing machines.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide anattachment for ice crushing machines that'will wash and clean blocks ofice prior to the placement'ofthe same into the crushing chamber ofanice' crushing machine thus permitting the delivered ice to be sanitary,a procedure not presently employed during the treatment of ice blocks.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a washerattachment for ice crushing machine including a cleaning chamber, aspray head for directing a fluid medium on ice blocks in the cleaningchamber and embodying novel and improved valve means controlling thespray head and which is actuated by a block of ice moved into thechamber.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus ofthe aforementioned character that is quickly and readilyapplied to orremoved from an ice crushingmachine convenient manner. 3

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a washerattachment for ice crushing machines that is simple and practical inconstruction, strong and reliable in use, small and compactin'structure, neat and attractive in appearance, relatively inexpensivetomanufacture, and otherwise well adapted for thepurposes for which thesame is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts, throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ice crushing machine and showingthe present invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the present invention, and with partsthereof broken away and shown in section;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view of thepresent invention;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially onthe plane of section line 44 of Figure 2; and,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view and showing the spray nozzleused in conjunction with the present invention.

Refering now to the drawings in detail, whereina , 2 in for the purposesof illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, the numeral It represents a substantially rectangularcasing having one end l2 supported upon the icecrushing compartment M ofan ice crushing machine that is designated generally by the numeral l6.

' The forward or open end l8 of the casing It! is supported relative tothe bed' of the machine I6 by a plurality 'of supporting legs or brace-members 20. 1

Extending transversely between the sides 'of the casing 10, at theiopenforward end I8. thereof, is a removable bolt or pin 22 that pivotallyreceives a longitudinal sleeve 24 at one edgeof "a-substantiallyrectangular shield or guard flap secured a pairof spaced parallel,longitudinally extending guide rails 34;. v T. I Projecting laterallyfrom opposite :sides: of the casing l0, at'substantially the centerthereof, is

a pair of opposed substantially.channelshaped projections 36 thatcommunicate with'theinteriorof the casing-l0 and which. are joined byan'upper channel portion38 disposed above the casing I01 V A transverseconduit 40 extends transversely betweenthe'sides of the casing l0,adjacent the "at its ends that extend'into-the projections 36. Theextensions 42 support spray nozzles having arcuate discharge slots 46that are disposed in the said projections for spraying a fluid mediuminto the casing I0.

Coupled to the conduit 40' by a joint 48 is one end of a deliveryconduit of pipe 50 having a portion 52 that enters the casing l0 andwhich extends through the bottom Wall of the easing I0 and leads to asuitable source of liquid.

A T joint 56 coupled in the portion 52 supports an auxiliary conduit 58the free end of which supports a spray head or nozzle 60 that willdirect a fluid spray or stream upwardly into the casing ID.

A valve housing 62 is interposed in portion 52 of the conduit 50andincludes a suitable valve that is controlled by an upwardly andinwardly inclined operating lever 64 that is spring urged so that thesame will be disposed above the guides 34.

In order to drain the washing medium from.

the casing I0, there is provided a removable drain plug 66 that issuitably supported in an aperture or retaining ring in the bottom wall54 of the casing H].

In practical use of the present invention, a block or cake of ice isslid manually upon the guides 34 and as the same engages and bearsagainst the operating lever 64, the valve in the housing 62 will beactuated to an open position whereby fluid under pressure will bedirected through the nozzle 44 and 60 into the casing to effectivelywash and clean the block of ice prior to the entrance of the same intothe crushing compartment 14.

The shield 26 will prevent the washing medium from being deflectedoutwardly from the casing II] to harmfully effect an operatOr feedingice blocks into the casing Hi.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of thedevice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A moredetailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shownand described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same issusceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of theinvention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination with an ice crushing machine, an apparatus for washingand cleaning ice prior to the disposal thereof into the crushingcompartment of said machine, said apparatus being supported solely byand overlying the machine and comprising, a guide slidably supporting ablock of ice and leading to said compartment, spray nozzles associatedwith the guide for sup plying a fluid medium to ice on said guide, meansfor draining the fluid medium employed for washing and cleaning a blockof ice on said guide, and a pressure actuated valve including avertically inclined vertically swingable operating lever disposed in thepath of movement of a block of ice slidably mounted on the guide forcontrolling the flow of fluid from the spray nozzles, said compartmentbeing of sufiicient length and width to prevent the hands of an operatorfrom entering said compartment during the sliding of ice through thecompartment, and hollow lateral projections carried by said casingcommunicating with the interior of said casing and receiving said spraynozzles.

2. An attachment for ice crushing machines having an open ended chutefor receiving ice blocks, said attachment comprising a pair of sidewalls and an upper wall joining said side walls, each of said side wallshaving an elongated opening therein, a hollow channel member on each ofsaid side walls, said channel members being in registry with saidopenings, a pair of horizontal guide rails mounted between said sidewalls, a drain trough mounted on said side walls and underlying saidrails, a fluid supply line having branch linesentering said channelmembers, one of said branch lines entering and confined within saidtrough and being located between said rails, and a spray nozzle on eachof said branch lines, at least one of said nozzles being confined withinsaid trough and at least one of said nozzles being confined within eachof said channel members to permit unrestricted sliding movement of ablock of ice on said rails.

3, In an .ice crushing machine having an ice crushing compartment and asupporting bed, an attachment for cleaning ice blocks prior to theentrance of ice blocks into the ice crushing compartrnent, saidattachment being supported solely by said, bed and overlying saidcompartment, said attachment comprising a pair of spaced parallelvertical side walls leading to said compartment, uide m ans m un betwe nsai de wa l n extending toward said compartment, a trough also mountedbetween said side walls and underlying aid uide means, a h oi said sidewa s ha in a h l w teral p oiection co un wi h the space between thevertical walls, a spray nozzle confined completely within each of saidproiecticns, another sp nozz e confin d mpl tely within said trou h, andcondu t m ns attached to each 0 sai II ZZMS,

H RRY A- A BA M IL M. i. AM W.- BATEMAN,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STA E PATEN Number Name Date 976,5 5 Martin .---.=-F ov- 2. 19101.619.236 Bla es ee v--f. a Mar. 1. 1927 2,073,521. Johnston et a1 1,289,9 7 J hnson et a1--- y 14, 1942 2,435, Brady .--.--..-,--V--,---- J1948

